IM SICK OF THIS *$#! whats ruining golf...

[Fourputt]

This subject is all over the different threads.... it all comes down to the courtesy of slow players. If you are slow, no biggie, but you have to let others play through.

This is wrong again. You must play where it's never busy. On the courses around here, most days you can't let others play through because there is no place to go. If there is a gap it's caused by by your own slow play, and if you start letting following groups through, you will never play another shot because there will always be another bunch ready to come through. There is no end to it.

It is essential that every group takes responsibility for their own pace of play. If you suffer a delay for a ball search, then it's your responsibility to make the effort to catch up again. There is no other valid excuse for falling behind. You don't stop to chat with the beer girl if that means you fall behind... conduct your business then keep moving. You don't stand around picking your nose, scratching your ass, or whatever when it's time to hit. You get to your ball as efficiently as possible, you play without delay regardless of who is away, and you save the chit chat for when you are moving between shots or waiting to play a shot. It isn't that difficult to keep a good pace of play, but it doesn't just happen. You have to be aware of your position on the course and make a conscious effort to keep up with the group ahead of you. If everyone just did that simple thing, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

[TheNatural]

go on and defend the 6 hour round see how far you get

[CarlSpackler]

I might also add to FourPutt's post, that many times balls are lost because it's owner was too busy throwing a tantrum on the tee to watch where his ball went. If my ball is headed for the rough, I will pick a landmark in the distance behind it and head right towards it. Doing this, I can count on my right pointer finger the number of times this year that I lost a ball that didn't go in a water hazard or OB. I am still suspicious of the gopher hole in the area on the one I did loose, but I couldn't prove that it went in there. I will also keep an eye on shots from others in my group as well.

[Slim 11]

This is wrong again. You must play where it's never busy. On the courses around here, most days you can't let others play through because there is no place to go. If there is a gap it's caused by by your own slow play, and if you start letting following groups through, you will never play another shot because there will always be another bunch ready to come through. There is no end to it.

You are contradicting yourself and off point of the OP. If there is no where to go because the course is so crowded, then slow play doesn't come into play. If you are right behind the group in front of you, then you are not slow (or everyone is). Somewhere there has to be a gap for an answer to apply to the original poster's issue.

As far as not playing because you keep letting people through...too bad. You are too slow and the problem. If you can't keep a reasonable pace you shouldn't be on the course. Again...point of the original post. And, by the way, there are a ton of courses in Michigan (where I am). I believe I read somewhere that it has the most courses per capita of any state. I guess that's why I do not run into ridiculously crowded courses. Plus, I won't play courses that bunch their tee times so close together that it hurts the pace of play (at least not twice).

[Fourputt]

You are contradicting yourself and off point of the OP. If there is no where to go because the course is so crowded, then slow play doesn't come into play. If you are right behind the group in front of you, then you are not slow (or everyone is). Somewhere there has to be a gap for an answer to apply to the original poster's issue.

I'm certainly not contradictory and I'm not off topic.

Hey.. if a round takes 5 hours it's slow, no matter whether you are keeping up or not. If it takes that long then there is someone, or several someones ahead of you who are playing slow. That's a simple concept. I happen to work as a starter at my home course. We space the tee times out just fine at 9 minutes. We also support more than 100,000 rounds per year (our record is 147,000) in a region where we also have winter. We are one of the 2 busiest facilities in the Denver metro area. It is rare that there is even an opportunity for a single golfer to play alone, much less play through anyone. Our rangers tend to be on the ball, yet there are still times when the course bogs down. I've played (with a foursome) in 3:30 and I've played in 5 hours. By the way... fewer golfers per course either means higher fees or poorer maintenance. Don't know which you prefer, but I like to play a good course at a reasonable price, even if I have to put up with bigger crowds.

[trog2233]

I'm not gonna read all 25 pages of this so if someone already said this i'm sorry.

If someone is that bad at golf or learning to play then you hit a couple shots and pick up your ball and move up to the green if your having a bad hole. No matter how good or bad you are you still need to move at a respectable pace for the other golfers behind u.

[Slim 11]

*SIGH*

I am not trying to be argumentative. What I am saying is that you can't address the issue of slow play if (as you said) the "slow" people in front of you are bunched right up to the next group so that there is nowhere to go if they let you play through.

I am all about ready golf and pace of play. I expect to play a round in about 4 hours, generally speaking.

I am glad to hear that your course gets everyone through in a steady, well-paced fashion. I play on very nice courses. There are a lot of them to choose from and maybe that is why I don't perceive them as being jam packed as you seemed to have suggest that the courses by you are. No reason to start dogging on the courses that I play, of which you have no knowledge whatsoever, just because I say they are not as crowded as what you say yours are. I didn't dog your courses, just replied to what you said about them.
The courses around me that tend to be very crowded seem to be that way because the course tries to bunch up tee times for the cash. I just won't play those because they also tend to have starters that are put in the position of being helpless to do anything about the pace because the course is so crowded. It's not fair to the players or the staff.

[golfcourseasart]

I thought the quote about the red thing in the sky was going to win it but no...Quote of the Thread honours go to...

"she wants to be alone" (8th post on 1st page of thread)

The daft old mare should take up round-the-world yachting, then. Ellen Macarthur swears by it.

Economic straits mean that I've played the vast majority of my golf on a computer these last 10 years but this thread has made me feel a whole lot better about my sad existence. First tee's always empty on Links 2003...

My commiserations to you all. Some people just defy belief.

[strahanfan92]

The Natural, at which course in DE were you having those problems? Last year at Rock Manor, I think my round was somewhere between 5 to 6 hours.. But the whole course was basically backed up. The starter said it was probably due to its first year since being remodeled. Haven't played their yet this year, have you?

[TheNatural]

The Natural, at which course in DE were you having those problems? Last year at Rock Manor, I think my round was somewhere between 5 to 6 hours.. But the whole course was basically backed up. The starter said it was probably due to its first year since being remodeled. Haven't played their yet this year, have you?

It was in PA I have never played Rock Manor, its too rocky.

[flopdarock]

played a really quick round today...
hit the course at a great time... it usually has a gap midweek around lunch time...
followed a big outting that only played the front... but by the time i caught them they were on the 9th already and the back was wide open...
didnt even stop at the turn...
smooth sailing till i hit 17 and caught up with a couple of guys that were just turtles...
by the time i got behind them i chalked up a 2hr 45 min round...
the last 2 holes seriously took almost 1/2 an hour... i couldnt believe it...
guys that had no business playing from the tips... i think it took them a dozen duffs to reach the green on a par 4... and the 18th was a par5 which they proceeded to look for lost balls (both of them) 3x on opposite sides of the fw... one had the hooks really bad and the other had the slices... they were joined at the hip and wouldnt split up to look for their own balls...
a girl playing behind me 3 holes back actually caught up while i was waiting and we joined to finish out the last 2 holes... she even commented on them attempting to play from the tips

[TheNatural]

Hey at least it was only for 2 holes.

last night me and a bud went off on the back 9 to avoid a league, we walked. We were behind 2 players in a cart and were on their heels for the entire back 9. We both shot 46-48 and even had a few blow up holes but still had to wait for them to clear greens etc.

on the front nine we saw a 2some walking on 1 and skipped to 3(bright idea) we got caught up in the tail of the league and this group ahead of us were awful, almost every lie was viewed by committee(4some). we had to wait on them for 4 holes and their quickest player was a woman in here 50's. on the par 4 9 as they were on the green I hammered a ball from the tee that rolled up to the green. One of the old duffers gave me a dirty look. But at that distance no real damage would be done anyway.

We then were able to walk over to 1 and finish it and #2 in 20 minutes or so.

3.5 hours walking a hilly course with 86 and 95 strokes. Subtract the league and we would have been home for dinner a half hour earlier. A little waiting IMO is OK. we had to wait on 5 holes or so.

[Able Hands]

As a complete hack, I feel compelled to reply to this post. The OP is absolutley right, as is the first response.

I have been playing golf for something like 20 years. My dad, who taught me, has always been one to allow faster players to play through. I am quite possibly the slowest player on the course whenever I play. Frankly, I suck at the game, but I enjoy it never-the-less.

My point is...

If you can barely get out of the tee box, then you should be smart enough to get out of the way. If you aren't smart enough to get out of the way then the starter/ranger, should be smart enough to force the issue.

Almost always I am the slow player. But on that RAREST of occasions when I shoot a good round, I don't want to be held up by someone like, well ME!!!

In short I feel for you, from the opposite side of slow play.

[Fat Slice]

As a complete hack, I feel compelled to reply to this post. The OP is absolutley right, as is the first response.

If you don't mind me asking - which tees do you use?

[Shindig]

3.5 hours yesterday for 18 holes on a municipal course. Shot a 94. Walked as part of a foursome that included a very short hitter.

Of course, this will just make me angrier next time it takes more than 4 hours.

[Doctorfro]

Went out at 11:20. At 1:25 we had finished playing the tenth hole and lightning and rain started. We live next to the 11th tee box so we went to the house to wait it out. We went back on the course at 2:45 and ended up behind a foursome that had no good golfers and they refused to let us play through. We played the last eight holes in 2 hours and 15 minutes. It's one thing to be an unskilled golfer, it's another thing to be slow and have no course etiquette. If you want to play slow, have some respect for the rest of us. What I see is most golfers just don't play "ready golf". Too much fiddling around with equipment, beer, cigars, food, etc. I know it's supposed to be a fun outing but consider those who are playing serious golf. What also kills me is when these slow golfers finish a hole they make no effort to get off the green quickly. They plod along like Droopy Dog in the cartoons. Rant over for now.

[TakeDeadAim]

I couldn´t help laughing at the marshall´s response... what a classic !! however I always thought the sun was yellow...

I hear you man. I always follow this process:

1. Analyze the whole situation for two holes.
2. Decide whether they are being held up themselves by the group that precedes them or not.
3. If they are losing more than one hole to the group ahead of them and they have not regained pace after two holes, address them politely and ask for your group to play through.
NOTE: I have never found anyone denying me to pass through... I must be very intimidating
4. If they don´t let you through, or they are being held up themselves, address the issue to the marshall.
NOTE: 99% of the time the marshall will resolve the issue.

If after step 4 you are in the same situation, it is your choice at this point... put up or put out...

[cbetofop]

I have never understood why course that start with a par 3 or shorter par 4 don't have a rule that you don't tee off until the green is clear and the preceding game has moved to the 2nd tee.

Yes, you might wait a while on the 1st but it will get things moving and hopefully you can pace yourself on the game in front.

Last week I got into some trouble on the 1st and it took a few minutes to find a ball which then had to be dropped for a penalty......no big deal, we are talking two minutes max. The group behind teed off and we had 8 people playing the 1st fairway....all getting frustrated.

Consequently my group rushed the next hole and then stood aside and let the game behind through on the short 3rd

They then lost two balls OOB and DIDN'T CALL US THROUGH!!!

Etiquette and manners is what is missing in the game sometimes. There's more to golf as a game than just hitting shots and making scores.